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"Isabella Torres. I've uncovered something troubling about her involvement in Diego's murder. She's not what she seems."
I swallow hard, forcing myself to speak. "What do you mean, sir?"
"It’s not pleasant, I fear. I've obtained a paper trail implicating Isabella in paying the men who killed her father. It appears she wanted access to his empire sooner than time intended." His voice drips with disdain, and I can almost see the sneer on his face. "Her coming to America under the pretense of seeking protection? A clever ruse to divert suspicion."
The words hit me like a tidal wave – cold, unforgiving, and relentless. I struggle to process the information, and my mind races to make sense of it all. Isabella, the woman I've come to care for deeply, accused of orchestrating her own father's demise?
"Are you certain, sir?" I ask hesitantly, unwilling to accept the possibility.
"Without a doubt. I'd stake my reputation on it." The Capo's confidence is unsettling. He's not one to make baseless accusations or act on a whim. This must be serious.
"Give me a moment to process this, sir." I close my eyes, trying to push away the image of Isabella's face as it morphs from innocence to something darker, more sinister. But I can't – not entirely.
"I was shocked too, after everything we've done for her," the Capo says, his voice almost gentle now. "But remember, Stefano... Loyalty above all else."
The weight of the Capo's words crushes my chest, making it difficult to breathe. I lower the phone from my ear, staring blankly at the wall, as a hurricane of emotions swirls within me. Shock, disbelief, and a sense of betrayal all jockey for dominance in my mind.
"Stefano?" The Capo's voice snaps me back to reality. I quickly put the phone back on. "I understand this is difficult, but you know what must be done."
"Capo," I manage to choke out, "are you suggesting that I...?"
"Eliminate both Isabella and Felix Carlisi," he says unflinchingly, his tone cold and resolute. "You have the resources, the skills, and most importantly – my trust. Assemble a team. Do it discreetly and efficiently."
My heart thuds heavily in my chest, a sickening feeling curdles in my stomach. I've been loyal to the Capo for years, but I struggle with the thought of carrying out this order against the woman I love.
"Capo," I say, trying to keep my voice steady, "is there any chance of a mistake? That someone else manipulated the evidence to frame her?"
"Unlikely," he replies curtly. "But if you find substantial proof to the contrary, I will reconsider my decision. Until then, however, you are to proceed as instructed."
The line goes dead.
I sink into a nearby chair, gripping the armrests to steady my trembling hands. My thoughts race, desperately seeking a way out of this nightmare.
Images of Isabella flash through my mind – her green eyes sparkling with mischief, her laughter ringing like a bird’s call of freedom, the warmth of her touch as she reaches for my hand.
"Damn it," I whisper, slamming my fist against the armrest. The pain barely registers.
I don't know if I can go through with it – taking the life of the woman who has come to mean so much to me, who haunts my dreams and turns my days without her presence into a living nightmare.
But I also can't ignore the possibility that she may have betrayed us all. And that ‘loyalty above all else’ is the only way to keep it from happening again.
With a heavy heart, I rise to my feet and begin the grim task of assembling a team to eliminate Felix Carlisi. His two weeks are up as is, he kidnapped my woman, and I'm not sure if the Capo is right, but I swear Isabella would never kill her own father.
Right?
Unless someone put her up to it.
And maybe that someone is Felix Carlisi.
The tension in my chest tightens as I pick up the phone again. My heart races, torn between love and loyalty, and I struggle to find the words that could save Isabella's life. He picks up.
"Capo, please," I plead into the phone, gripping it tightly in my hand. "I know Isabella; she's not capable of this betrayal. There must be a mistake."
"Stefano," the Capo's voice is firm, unyielding. "You are my most trusted soldier, but even you can be blinded."
I grit my teeth, frustration boiling inside me. I need to make him see reason, but how? I rack my brain, searching for any shred of evidence that could exonerate Isabella.
"Her father was everything to her," I insist, my voice cracking with emotion. "She wouldn't have killed him for power or greed. She came to America because she needed protection, not to escape suspicion!"
